With the cap round: these residents themselves paid the houses with which they could retain young people

In Visvliet, a village on the border of Groningen and Friesland, Jan Hut (68), Willem Sikkema (52) and Theun de Wit (60) saw fellow villagers leave in recent years. They could not buy a house or had to wait too long for a social rental home. To live independently, they went to larger villages in the area. For example, in the around 285 inhabitants Visvliet, fewer and fewer adults were left.

Something had to be done about that, the three thought. Because what is a village without young people? How does Visvliet maintain the Orange Association, Toneelvereniging and the Game Week? Who can later tell what it was like to grow up in Visvliet, as Sikkema is possible?

Zoom in

Half of young adults intend to stay in the region for the rest of their lives, Henk Hofstede concluded in 2023 when he obtained his PhD at the University of Groningen on an investigation into young people in the rural area in Northern Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany. They feel emotionally connected to and appreciate the region, the landscape and the community. But staying in villages is difficult for young people. The houses that come for sale are often large and expensive, (social) rental properties are scarce and there is little new construction.

Other

Hut, Sikkema and De Wit were looking for a way to keep young adults in the village. When in 2020 housing association Wold and Waard announced three outdated rental homes in Visvliet, they came up with a plan to buy the houses to rent out.

Zoom in

In the old grocery store in the middle of the village, Hut and Sikkema talk about the many years of process. The old store is now a meeting place with a B&B from the Visvliet Vitaal Foundation. Through this Stichting Renten Hut, Sikkema and De Wit also the houses for young adults. After they could buy it, they refurbished the houses and make it more sustainable. Now three young adults live in the village.

It wasn’t easy. For example, the Housing Corporations Authority, which supervises housing associations, had to give permission for the sale. “For the authority, what we did was new,” says Sikkema. “It took a long time before we received an answer when we emailed. Eventually Willem and I looked up a manager and got contacted on LinkedIn,” says Hut.

The tenants platform of the housing corporation also had to agree. The municipality of Westerkwartier, where Visvliet lies, also gave the necessary positive view for the plan. The three had to change the articles of association of the Visvliet Foundation Vitaal because they had become landlords. “You have to keep a close eye on everything and be behind everything,” says Hut. “That’s how we succeeded.”

Zoom in

Three young residents from the village

When all the bumps were taken, the three still had to gather the amount for the purchase. Hut “would rather not see how much they paid for the houses. The clear amount was arranged within a week. “We did letters on the bus in the village asking who wanted to co -finance the project. We did not need an external financier. Through the rental income, the participants get the money that they have inlaid,” says Sikkema. Hut: “We have offered them a market -based loan, with interest that you also get in a savings account.”

Those who were active in the village had an edge

For a year and a half, three young adults, from start to end twenty years old, have been living from the village in the houses. The houses have been thoroughly renovated and refurbished. They rent the house for the price of a social rental home. There was a lot of enthusiasm for that. “There were ten people with interest. They all came to us. We thought it was important that they had something with the village. Those who were active in the village were ahead,” says Hut. Young people who still live at home were also given priority. “One of the boys was thirty and still lived with his mother.”

The project received so much attention that several camera crews came to Visvliet. That is why the residents would rather not tell their story again. Hut still regularly receives questions from people from other villages who get inspiration from Visvliet to take care of new homes in their village.

Not built for years

In March, MP Sandra Beckerman (SP) submitted an initiative law to support groups of people who want to build or manage affordable rental properties themselves. The law must enable special regulations and subsidies. “Housing cooperatives are part of the solution to the housing crisis. That’s why they deserve political support,” said Beckerman.

Burgers want to build new homes in their village in various places in the country. In ‘t Goy, near Utrecht, residents have designed a new residential area themselves. In Dwingeloo in Drenthe, residents also make plans for new homes for young adults. There is also a shortage of affordable homes for starters. The average asking price for a house in Dwingeloo is 526,000 euros. “In Dwingeloo has not been built for years and the area is popular with people from other regions. That drives the price. The smaller houses, which used to be perfect for starters, are now too expensive,” says Marit Gorter (30) of Dorpsbelangen Dwingeloo.

The association looked at opportunities for new homes. With a map of the area, the board sat down to look for space. A piece of land of 9 hectares that used to be used for agriculture seemed a good place. “Our chairman went to the owner and has explained our ideas for building new homes at this location. He is in the mood for having homes built on it. He comes from the village and has young adult grandchildren who also want a home. We are now working on the plans,” says Gorter.

Fishing in the same pond

The project in Dwingeloo is still in the initial phase. Dorpsbelangen and the owner of the land work out the plan together with a project developer from the village. The board of Dorpsbelangen sees a combination of a collective private commissioning (CPO) for the starter homes and regular owner -occupied homes as one of the options. “Regular owner -occupied homes are needed to keep the prices for the land of the starter homes as low as possible,” says Gorter.

A home-made house in a CPO project is on average around 10 to 15 percent cheaper, because no costs are incurred for a project developer. The participants are the developer themselves. This form of building is more common in Drenthe. The province has a consultant who assists CPO projects of residents. Dorpsbelangen Dwingeloo organized an information meeting about the starter homes and a possible CPO construction in April. “Afterwards we received seventy registrations from people who are interested in it. Because of the great interest, the municipality said that with priority at Dwingeloo, the municipality said that there is room for housing in the future,” says Gorter.

If the project continues in Dwingeloo, the future residents themselves must continue to realize the houses. “After a well -attended second meeting, we are now working together with the province and the process supervisor towards a formal establishment of the CPO. Then we take a step back as village interests. Then it is up to the participants themselves,” says Gorter.

Dorpsbelangen would prefer about forty new affordable houses in the village. There is a big shortage, Gorter knows. “The youth who are active in the village and is affiliated with associations, wants to stay here. But that is only possible for dual -income households who both have a good job. Not for people who earn less or for single people.”

She knows all about it herself. Although she wanted to stay in Dwingeloo, she bought a house in Meppel and will soon move. Staying in Dwingeloo did not work. “We all fish together in the same pond. If there is a home for sale that is interesting, then everyone will dive on it. Starting from Dwingeloo, I would not have been planned. I would have preferred to stay, but it is how the housing market is put together now. But who knows I can come back in a few years.”

To share





Mail the editors